Parcel-post calculating device.



. MORGAN.

PARCEL POST'CALCULATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION man MAY x8. m4.

1,145,696. Patented July 6,1915.

` Inen tor: 'by

Atty

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORGAN, F NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD MORGAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain,l and a resident of Newport, in the county of New-- port and State of Rhode Island, have invented '.eertain new and useful Improveg mentsv -iii Parcel-Post Calculatin Devices,

of which the following isa spec' cation.

My invention relates to vcalculating delg'vices of the type wherein a rotatable diskhaving numerals indicating various values is employed, and which disk is set in various positions when the device is to be used and the values Ato be ascertained read through an opening in a plate member which overlies the disk; and the object of my invention is -to rovide acalculating device especially designed to indicate the postage necessary to be paid upon parcel post matter under the regulations applying thereto, the rate -and cost of whichv varies with the distance and is determined by the zone into which the matter. is sent; although various of the features of my invention are applicable generally to calculating devices of the type above referred to, irrespective of the kind of calculations which they are intended to facilitate.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the improved cal- Aculating device illustrated in the accomanying drawing, described inthe following specification, a-nd claimed in the clauses of the concludin Y claim, and in such variations and modi cations 'thereof as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

In the drawing wherein the preferred enrv i bodimen't of my invention is illustrated, and 40 wherein the same parts are designated by Vthe same reference numerals in the several views; Figure is a view showing my improved calculating device complete and assembled; Fig. 2 is a view showing a section .46 upon a plane indicated bythe line 2, 2, Fig.

v1: `and Fig. 3 is a view showing the rotary disk of my device separate -and apart from i the other elements thereof.

Referring .to'the drawing, the reference numeral .4 designates a front plate, and 5 designates a disk pivotally secured tothe front plate at 6 and rotatable with reference to said plate. The front plate is substantially semi-circular inform and the lower II edge thereof lies a short distance below the pivotal connection 6, whereby a large part PARCEL-POST CALCULATING DEVICE.

Specication o1'l Letters Patent.

-fore overlies the upper portion o Patented July e, 1915.

appiiomon nica nay is, i914. serial no. 339,409.

of the rotatable disk projects beyond or below the lower edge of the plate, which exposed portion of the disk may be grasped l by the fingers in setting the device, as will hereinafter appear. The front plate heiit e disk, and the same is provided with one or more slots 'through which a portion of the rotary disk may be seen, two such' slots as shown at 7, 7 being coinmonly provided in orderto extend the range of the instrument and avoid crowding of the various numbers which indicate the amount of postage necessary in a given case. These slots are located upon opposite sides of the pivotal connection 6, and each extends approximately radially and its-endslie ad'acent the center and periphery of the disk when the parts are assembled. The disk 5 is provided with several series ofA numbers increasing by ments, and each of which series, when it is brought into the slots 7, 7 by rotating the are, however, arranged in pairs u on the disk and upon opposite sides of diametrically extending lines, the series above ,and

below a horizontal line beginning at o posite sides of the disk; see the series 8 a ove Areferred to, and the series beginning at 9,

Fig. 3. The upper edges or sides of the slots 7 7 coincide, a proximately, with a line extending throug the pivotal connection 6, and the entire or substantially the entire area of the slots lies below such a line in the form of my invention illustrated.

In the position of the parts illustrated, the

' series 8 is visible within the slots; but the series 9 running parallel therewith but in 4an opposite direction upon the disk is hidden by the plate. If, however, the disk be rotated through 180 the series 9 will appear within the slots and will read from left to right the same as the series 8 read, while the sei-ies 8 will now be hidden by the plate. It will therefore be appreciated that the location of the slots entirely to one side of a line passing throughv the pivotal connec. tion between the plate and disk'permits two series of figures to be paced parallel with one another upon the dis and along as many diametrically extending lines as may be convenient without crowding at the Acenter of regular but varying increthe disk, and practically doubles the number` of series which disk of a given size.

The plate 4 is provided with a .plurality of clips 10 which extend over the A, "e of the rotary disk 5 and thus hold the plate and disk together at their peripheries and form guides for the disk. Theseclips are preferably formed integrally Vthe plate as by cutting portions of the material thereof free except along one side, and striking up or vforcing the part thus freed out of the plane of theplate in accordance with wellknown manufacturing processes, the clips being properly shaped to hold and disk as will be understood.

Arranged about the outer portion of the disk arecharacters indicating the zones involved in parcel post calculations; and suitable means are provided for determining may be placed upon a Vthe setting or position of the disk so that the numbers appearing in the slots 7 under the weight indicated by the series of figures upon the plate beginning at the point marked 11 will indicate the postage required.

In the form ofmy invention illustrated, an

opening 12, in connection with the zone numbers arranged adjacent the periphery of the disk and positioned as shown relative tov the several series of numbers extending across the disk, constitutes the means for determining the setting of the disk. "Thus, with the parts in the position in which they' are shown, the device indicates that the postage required for 3 lbs. in the Afirst and second zone is seven cents, and for 17 lbs.,

twenty-one cents, etc. Ifv now/the disk\be rotated to bring the 3 opposite the opening 12, then 10 will lie below 3 in the slot and 38 vbelow 17, thus indicating that the postage required for 3 lbs. in the third zone is ten cents, andv for 17 lbs., thirty-eight cents.

My improved calculatingvdevice may obviously be made from any suitable material such, for example, as from sheet metal, celluloid, indurated liber, paper, or other materials which maybe formed into thin sheets;

the surfaces. of lthe and itvwill be appreciated that the fact that the several clips 10 are all located upon one side of la diametrical line passing through the pivotalconnection between the plate and ed without bending the clips after they are formed; lplate and disk being one being moved sidethe other to bring the placed in contact and wise with reference to of the "small as compared with the entire area of guide the lof clips periphery of the disk beneath the clips, after which the central rivet is put in place. Furthermore, the fact the front plate is preferably of substantially semicircular form provides a device in which nearly one-half of the disk extends` below the lower edge of the plate, and a device which may be more readily grasped and Aset than would be the case if the plate and disk were more nearly coextensive as would be the case if the portion disk not covered by the plate was the disk.

Having thus describdand explained my invention, I claim, andtlesire to secure-by Letters Patent: 1.. In a calculating device of the class de: scribed, a front plate substantially semicircular in form; a rotatable disk the center of which is pivotally secured to andwhich ldisk extends below the lower edge of-.said -front plate; and a plurality of clips formed integrally with said front plate -and extending over the edge of said disk.

2. In a calculating device of the class described, a front plate; arotatable disk the center of which is. pivotally connected with said front plate; and a plurality of clips formed integrally with said front plate and` extending over the edge of said disk and all of which clips engage one only of the two Y semicircular halves into which said disk may be divided by a line extending throughthe pivltal connection between said plate and dis 3. In a calculating device of the class described,a front plate; a rotatable disk the 'center of which is pivotally connected with said front carried by said front plate; and a plurality carried by said front plate and ex.

plate; and a plurality of clips tending over the edge of said disk, Atwo of said clips being located upon opposite sides of and substantially diametrica ly with reference to the pivotal connection between said' plate and disk and the rest of said clips being located all vupon one side ofja diametrical, line extending through Said first mentioned clips and pivotal connection.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNARD MORGAN.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,145,696.

'It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,145,696, granted July 6, 1915, i upon the application of Bernard Morgan, of Newport, Rhode Island, for an improvement in Parcel-Post Calculating Devices, an error appears in the printed` .specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, lines 96-97, strike out the words and al` plurality of clips Vcarried by said front plate; and that the said Letters Patent should be read'with this correction therein that the same may conforrn ,to the record of the case in the vPatent Oiiice.

l vSigned and'sealed this 27th day of'July, 'A. D., 191-5.'

R. F. WHITEHEAD,

[SEAL] Acting Commissioner of Patents.'

lt is herehy certified that in Letters lPatent No. l,l45,696, granted July 6, 19115,

upon the application ol Bernard Morgan, of Newport, Rhode ls1and,for an imu.-

provement in Parcel-Post alclating Devices, an error appears in the printed` specification requiring correction as lollows: Page 2, lines 969'7, strike out the words "and a plurality of clips carried by said front plate; and that the said Letters Patent should bc read with this correction therein that the same may conlorin to the record of the case in the vPatent Umea i Signed and sealed this l27th day ol July, A. D., 1915.'

[me] l I n. r. rmrrnnnln,

Acting Uommisc'ioner of Patente.' 

